lnfra-red (IR) sensors are known in the art. They are utilized for thermal imaging and are often found on devices which require night vision. There are two main types of IR sensors, linear arrays which require scanning in order to produce an image, and two-dimensional arrays, often known as "staring" arrays.
IR sensors operate in extreme cold and are therefore, typically placed within a detector-dewar-cooler (DDC) assembly, formed of a dewar flask within which is a cold finger. Inside the cold linger is a cryostat which performs Joule-Thomson or other cryogenic cooling through the use of gas at a high pressure. The IR detector, or sensor, is placed at the end of the cold finger.
IR sensors and their DDC assemblies are either stationary or are placed in fixed positions on moving platforms.